The further developments of electronic telephones has seen the elimination of moving parts with the exception of the hookswitch.
As telephones become more complex, the need to install software as late as possible in the manufacturing process becomes more important. This is true especially if the same telephone can have several versions of software to meet the needs of different customers. Also, the ability to test the product as late in the manufacturing process as possible has become more and more important. This reduces the number of variables that could go wrong before the product leaves the plant.
A problem which has become more apparent as telephones become more complex is the inconvenience of losing your personal phone directory if the phone is ever removed for repairs. Some electronic telephones now have the capacity to hold up to 125 entries each including a name and phone number. This typically would take over an hour to reenter by hand.
Also, the use of a mechanical hookswitch which has exposed metal pins increases the likelihood of electrostatic discharge which can be quite detrimental to the proper operation of telephones operating with complex software.
There is therefore a requirement for a telephone hookswitch which does not require the use of moving parts, which allows the telephone to be inspected immediately before leaving the factory as well as allow diagnostic tests to be performed once the telephones are being used by the customer. In addition, there is a requirement for a hookswitch assembly which allows access to the telephone microprocessor for the loading and unloading of software as may be required.